As far as the hybrid thing goes, don't get too excited over the Honda's. They don't have as good a system as Toyota and Ford. They're hybrids are only a partial hybrid meaning all they do is put a electric motor in tandom with the gasoline engine and is used to get more power output from a smaller gasoline engine.
The Ford and Toyota systems are full hybrids in that they can run on either just the gas engine, just the battery(electric motor), or both.
Secondly the Escape Hybrid is putting the technology where it's needed most...the gas guzzling SUV market.
Also you should consider the numbers your paying for that hybrid system. The added cost of the hybrid technology is between $3000 to $5000 over the regular model. For sake of argument lets say the hybrid model cost $4000 more than that of the regular gasoline model. $4000 is a much bigger percentage on at $15,000 vehicle (Pirus, Civic, Focus etc) than it is on a $25,000 vehicle.
Also consider that if your looking at a Pirus or similar sized car as a vehicle, it doesn't get that much better mileage than it's none hybrid version, and because of that you'd have to drive it for a long time before you recouped that cost of that hybrid powertrain.
The Escape on the other hand, is in a market dominated by gas guzzleing vehicle. Again it doesn't get that much better fuel economy above the gas-only version to make it payoff the hybrid technology faster. But someone considering a larger SUV say Explorer sized, may look at the Escape hybrid as an alternative, where the fuel savings will add up fast.(When it comes time for me to replace my Explorer I'll be seriously considering the hybrid over another Explorer) Someone looking for cargo/passenger room will look at an Escape hybrid long before a Civic/Pirus.

While on the green topic.
Ford and GM have delivered fuel cell powered(hydrogen) cars to fleets in Vancouver this past year for field testing of their powertrains.

My Cars 1999 Silver Frost SVT - 80,000km #2603/2760 Aug. 10, 1999. 1996 Mercury Mystique LS V6 MTX - retired @ 323,151km. 1995 Ford Contour V6 MTX-sold @ 214,000km